


Drink 'Til We Go Home

by musiclove915



Series: Melodramatic Musical [11]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bartender Dean Winchester, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, M/M, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Waiter Castiel (Supernatural)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:34:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28293156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musiclove915/pseuds/musiclove915
Summary: Christmas Eve sucks, but Dean has a plan to drink the night away and go home drunk. But sometimes plans aren't always followed through.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Jessica Moore/Sam Winchester (mentioned)
Series: Melodramatic Musical [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1725958
Kudos: 19





	Drink 'Til We Go Home

**Author's Note:**

> Based on 'Drink 'Til We Go Home' by Lucy Spraggan

It was Christmas Eve, and Dean was pissed. He realized that he had been pissed more often than not recently but at least he had a reason. They might’ve been petty to other people but to him, they were completely valid.

The first was that his brother, Sam, had gotten married. True it wasn’t a bad thing, in fact, Dean was ecstatic for his baby bro for finding the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. And Jess, the woman his brother married, was the best. Dean would joke with her that he was the better Winchester, and sometimes Jess would agree, but there was no mistaking the love in her eyes when she looked at Sam. But it was going to be the first Christmas as a married couple so they wanted to spend it just the two of them, much to the annoyance of Dean. For years, it had been the brothers who spent the holidays together, it was usually just the two of them during Christmas time even before their father had passed.

And since his brother was going to be spending the holiday in married bliss (he really didn’t want to know if that was how Sam was going to be spending Christmas because…Ew), Dean had planned to just spend the day with his ‘Uncle’ Bobby, the man who practically raised the Winchester boys after John left one too many times. But Bobby was going on a cruise. Dean was mystified that Bobby knew what a cruise entailed much less willing to go on one. Then he learned he was going on the cruise with his friend, and Dean’s boss Ellen, everything started to make sense.

So with those two options out, he could’ve gone to a friend's place, but then it became glaringly obvious that Dean didn’t really have people he regularly hung out with other than his brother and uncle.

The first time ever, Dean was going to be alone for Christmas. So he had a right to be pissed. At least sad about it, but he didn’t do sadness so that wasn’t going to happen. So all he could do was be mad. And go to work at the Roadhouse like nothing was wrong.

“Can I get two eggnog martinis, Dean?” Cas asked placing a tray on the counter. Dean huffed in disgust at the order. Eggnog, that was fine on itself, and liquor who didn’t want that, but together? That was too sweet for him so that meant it was just bad altogether. He pulled out the things to make the drink and got to work. “So any plans for tomorrow?”

Dean was about to tell the waiter off but seeing the genuine curiosity on his face stopped him. “Not this year,” he answered twisting the rim of the martini glass in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

“Too far from family?”

“My brother just got married so he wants to spend it with his new wife.”

“And your parents?” Dean gave him a look as he aggressively shook the eggnog and vodka in a shaker. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

“What about you?” He asked to distract from how alone he really was.

“Have to get together with my parents and siblings.”

“Siblings?”

“Four brothers and one sister.”

“That must be a full house.” With a final touch, he added a peppermint stick to both filled glasses. “There you go. Two martinis.”

Cas smiled and placed the drinks on his tray. “Thanks, Dean,” he said before leaving with the order.

The corner of Dean’s mouth was threatening to rise.

“Thanks, Dean,” Jo mocked as she placed her own tray on the counter.

Well, there went that. Dean frowned at her. “What do you want?” He practically growled at her.

“I’d love a smile,” Dean frowned harder, “but I don’t think that’s gonna happen. So how about a White Christmas and two shots of peppermint schnapps.”

“Don’t we both,” Dean said grabbing a few glasses.

“The drink, Dean,” she sighed. Wasn’t it bad enough to be working on Christmas Eve without all the corny jokes that people said when ordering their drinks?

“Yeah, that’s what I want too.” He poured the drinks into their respected glasses and placed them on Jo’s tray. “So, why aren’t you with your mom on her cruise?”

“Someone’s got to be here to make sure you yahoos don’t trash this place.” Dean raised an eyebrow not believing that bullshit. “Fine! I wasn’t invited. She said she wanted alone time.”

“With Bobby?”

They both paused and gave a shutter. Not something either wanted to think about.

“So, why were you so nice to Cas?” Jo asked still trying to get the mental image of her mom out of her head.

“I wasn’t nice to him.”

“Well, you didn’t snap at him like you’ve done to everyone else. You know, Ash is terrified to get his table’s drinks.”

“Are those his?”

“No, but lighten up and let the poor boy do his job. I don’t want to have to mop up the puddle he’s gonna cause if you yell at him again.”

“I’ll try.”

Jo smirked and hoisted the tray up, placing one of the shots in front of Dean. He looked at her in confusion. “The guy only ordered one. Take a shot and loosen up. It’s almost Christmas, Grinch.” She walked away but looked over her shoulder and gave Dean a wink.

With a sigh, he grabbed the shot and threw it back. One drink wouldn’t hurt.

***

It was already twenty past nine and the band was still setting up. Each instrument was tuned or set up as if there was no rush. The singer was at the bar, talking with some girl who looked like she was loving the attention but knew at the end of the night she’d be going home alone. But the guy didn’t realize that. Poor guy. They were some local band that thought they were something just because they’d played other bars in town but all they were there to do was play until the place closed and to entertain the drunk patrons that were sticking around until they couldn’t anymore. And since they were already late, their performance time was dwindling.

“Can you believe these guys?” Jo asked watching the band screw around on and off the stage. “Why would Mom book them?”

“Maybe they’re good,” Cas tried to reason.

“I’ve seen them before,” Ash admitted quietly. “They aren’t that good.”

“Then they’ll be perfect for a drunk crowd,” Dean said cleaning a mug.

Dean was trying to be nice. The keyword there was ‘trying’. It was hard. If it wasn’t the number of orders he had to make in a short time, it was his people demanding their drinks. And if it wasn’t either of those, it was Ash and Jo being irritating or his own thoughts eating away at him. At least he was behind the bar and not talking to the customers because he’s have been fired a long time ago. The other good thing about being behind the bar was that Dean could mix a drink for himself away from the prying eyes of his coworkers.

“It looks like they’re ready to start,” Cas pointed out.

“So, since Ellen isn’t here, who introduces the band?” Ash asked.

“Oh, fuck!” Jo exclaimed. “I have to don’t I?” Dean chuckled. His latest drink was a little stronger than he intended. “Dean, can you do it?”

“Hell no. This is all you.”

“C’mon, you’re great at talking in front of a crowd.”

“No, you’re thinking about Sam. I’m the better looking Winchester sibling, not the public speaker.”

“Ash?”

“I can’t. I could never do a presentation at school. The one time I did I threw up in front of everyone.”

“Please tell me you can, Cas.”

“I can,” Jo lit up, “but,” then deflated again, “I get to request a song.”

“Do they do that?” Dean and Ash shrugged their shoulders. “Okay, and just so I know you’ll actually do it, if they don’t do requests, you get to pick the music we play when we’re cleaning.”

“Jo, no,” Dean protested. “Cas has shitty taste in music.”

“Excuse you,” he gasped.

“I like the music Cas listens to,” Ash said.

“And that just proves my point,” Dean glared at the two guys. “Jo you can’t let him choose the music tonight.”

“Then get up there and introduce the band yourself,” she huffed.

Rolling his eyes, he then turned to Cas. “Don’t choose anything stupid.”

“You might be surprised,” Cas winked and headed to the small stage. He talked to the band and they seemed to be excited at the request.

“Looks like they’re going to do it,” Jo said.

“So does that mean he doesn’t get to control the music tonight?” Dean asked hopeful.

“If that’s going to be your attitude about it, I just might.”

The sound of glass breaking stopped the start of their argument. No one was getting rowdy but there were drunk people around and drunk people did stupid things.

“Ash, can you get the mop please?” She asked, wishing for the millionth time that her mother owned a normal restaurant, she might’ve been at home at that time. He nodded once and ran off to get the mop and bucket. When Ash was cleaning the mess, she turned towards Dean. “Do you need another shot? ‘Cause I could pretend someone ordered one.”

“Why?”

“Oh I don’t know, ‘cause you’re being a dick. And that’s saying something since you usually are.”

“I’m fine,” he growled and looked around for something else to clean, but everything already was.

“Yeah, that’s the voice of someone that’s fine.”

Before he could snap back, Cas stepped up to the mic. “Merry Christmas, everyone. Before the night ends, we here at the Roadhouse want to give you a little Christmas cheer. So the band has agreed to play my favorite Christmas song. So without further ado, The Angels.”

The crowd gave halfhearted applause as Cas got off the stage and raced back to the bar.

“So what song did you request? Not something dumb, right?”

Cas glared at Dean but didn’t answer, he just turned back to the stage as the band started to play. The music had a slow pace, with the singer starting very low and almost morose. It was familiar to Dean, but he couldn’t figure out where he’d heard it before. The lyrics weren’t the happiest, actually, they were really not at all. Maybe a little hopeful but almost not quite. He looked over at Cas raising his eyebrow at the weird choice of song. It wasn’t until the music changed to an Irish jig did a shiver go down Dean’s spine. He did know the song. He knew it perfectly well. For years, when his father was around during the holidays, he’d sing along to a song at all hours of the night and drink ‘til he passed out. Whenever either of the brothers heard the song, they knew nothing good could come from it.

“You okay?” Cas asked, looking at him with concern. He nodded not wanting to say that, no, he wasn’t okay, that a _song_ had affected him so much. “You sure?”

“I’m fine,” he tried to make it sound authentic. The look of concern didn’t go away but Cas turned back to the stage.

Dean reached under the counter to get his drink and took a quick sip. It had warmed up a bit so the alcohol had a stronger taste than before. He winced at the taste, and then took a larger sip thinking it would be better the second time. At least with the alcohol in his system, the song was easier to listen to and not be reminded of his past.

The crowd had gotten into the music when it pepped up and some were even singing along even if they didn’t know the lyrics. But Cas did and was off tone but he didn’t care as he continued the song. Ash had joined them again and was laughing at the foolishness of the words along with Jo who was attempting to sing too. When the song finally ended, the crowd cheered, even if they were too drunk to know what they were cheering for.

“That was great, Cas,” Ash shouted over the yells.

“Yeah, Cas,” Jo laughed, “where’d you ever hear that song anyway?”

“My brother, Gabe lived in Ireland for a few years and it’s pretty popular there. We thought he was joking that first year but then he found the song and played it for us. We all fell in love with it. Well, at least my brothers and me. My parents and sister hate it.”

“Well, it’s great. Good job with the music chose.” Ash congratulated clapping Cas on the back.

“What did you think, Dean?” Cas asked.

“Did it pass your test?” Jo smirked.

Dean needed a drink. “Wasn’t terrible.” He pulled out four shot glasses. “How about we celebrate just the four of us?” He was already pouring.

“Um…Dean?” Jo said. “Two of us can’t drink yet.”

“What?” He looked around the group and noticed that, yeah, Ash and Jo were underage. “Oh, yeah I guess so. Well, Cas and I will do two then.”

“Dean, I don’t think we should be drinking on the job.”

“It’s just one shot,” he argued.

“Two,” Cas corrected.

“Three,” Jo reminded.

Ash looked confused and smartly stayed silent.

“Guys, don’t be assholes. I just want to be jolly, for fucks sake.”

“Yeah, I feel the holiday spirit after that,” Jo quipped.

“Dean,” Cas said to get him to calm down, “I’ll take one with you now, and then we can take one before we leave.”

“What about the other two?” Dean really wanted the two shots.

“I’ll give them away for free.”

“Free?” Jo gasped. “Wait, why do I care? Yeah, just do that.”

Cas grabbed two glasses and went into the crowd to give the extra drinks away. He quickly came back empty-handed and grabbed one of the left shots. They silently toasted each other before throwing them back. Disgust was plain on Cas’s face when then brought the glass down again.

“That was terrible,” he said giving the glass back.

Dean shrugged as he put them away to wash later. “Tasted fine to me.”

Jo gave a critical eye to the bartender but didn’t say anything to him. “C’mon, guys,” she told the other two, “let’s see if anyone needs refills.” Ash and Cas nodded, grabbed their trays, and left leaving Jo and Dean behind. “How much have you had to drink tonight?”

“Just the shots you’ve seen me take.”

“So if I go back there, I won’t see a glass filled that’s shouldn’t be there?”

“Jo, I’m working. Do you really think I’d do that?”

“I don’t know, Dean.” She grabbed her tray. “I don’t know what you’d do when you don’t have your family around you.”

“What’s that’s supposed to mean?”

“Dean, this is the first year that you don’t have Sam to celebrate the holidays. And you won’t have Bobby or my mom or me—”

“Where are _you_ going?”

“To spend the day with my boyfriend. And don’t change the subject. This is the first year since forever that you don’t have your normal support system here to help you.”

“So what should I do, huh? Why shouldn’t I drink?”

“Or you can spend it with someone…”

“Who?”

Jo rolled her eyes. “Do I really have to spell it out for you?” From the blank face on Dean’s face, she rolled her eyes again. “Spend the day with Cas, you big idiot.”

“I can’t do that,” he practically screeched and then cleared his throat to talk normally. “I’m not doing that.”

“And why not?”

“’Cause I’m not gonna crash a family party for some guy I…” Jo smirked when he stopped suddenly, “work with.” It sounded weak in both of their ears, but Dean was going to stick with that response.

With a sigh, Jo started to walk away. “Keep telling yourself that, dumbass.”

Dean glared at her until she was swallowed by the crowd. When he couldn’t see her anymore, he pulled out his hidden glass and took another sip. Screw her. If Dean wanted to drink Christmas away, he was damn well going to.

For the next half hour, the band played a mix of rock songs and Christmas tones that excited the patrons and by the end, even Dean was enjoying himself. But it might’ve been the alcohol he continued to drink behind the bar. Eventually, Jo got on the stage and kicked everyone out, in a way that would make her mom very proud. When it was finally cleared out, the employees were able to clean before they all went home. Jo and Ash swept the floor that surprisingly didn’t have as much glass as it normally did. Cas was wiping down the tables and moving chairs onto them when he was done, and Dean was cleaning the bar’s counter and glasses that were still left to do. He even finished his last drink of the night, but he had one more with Cas before they could go home.

“Cas,” he called, “you want the second shot?”

From across the room, Cas smiled throwing down the bar towel he was using on the last table. “Sure,” he answered as he rushed to the bar for the drink. They toasted again before downing the last shot of the night. “That was better than the first one,” Cas remarked.

“A little too sweet for me, but at least you like it.” He put the bottle away and quickly washed and dried the glasses, setting them with the others. “Well, this has been fun, but I’m gonna head home now.” Heading to the back to grab his jacket, Dean put it on and felt around the pockets for his keys. But they weren’t there. He looked around the room but couldn’t find them anywhere. “Hey, guys,” he said going to the front, “has anyone seen my…”

Jo was twirling his ring of keys on her index finger. “Looking for these?”

“Why do you have my keys?”

“Because you’re not driving.” The keys stopped as she grabbed them.

“What?”

“Dean, you’re not driving. I know for a fact you’ve had three shots…”

“And I’ve had more in the past.”

“…and how many drinks did you make for yourself?”

“What? I haven’t…” Jo just gave him a look. “One, okay?” A raised eyebrow. “Fine, two. Are you happy now?”

“Dean, my mother would kill me if she knew I let you drive home drunk. So I’m not letting you.”

“And how am I supposed to get home?”

“Walk,” she pocketed the keys.

“Like hell I am, Jo. Now give me my fucking keys.”

“Dean,” Cas said almost like a warning, “did you really drink while working?”

He looked around the room and realized that his other two coworkers had been there when Jo and he were arguing. Jo looked at him in anger, while Ash was fearful, and then there was Cas who was looking at him in pity. Clenching his fist and then releasing them, Dean scoffed.

“You know what, I don’t need this shit,” he said marching past everyone and out the door.

It was cold outside, maybe snow weather cold but Dean really couldn’t tell. Not that he cared at the moment.

Dean was pissed. First, his brother ditched him to spend Christmas with his new wife, not like they couldn’t spend the holiday with him together. Then Bobby ditched him to go on a stupid cruise that he was probably hating. And then his so-called friends, no not friends coworkers, were trying to tell him how he could cope with being alone for Christmas. Fuck!

It was cold and he was pissed. What a way to spend Christmas Eve.

The sound of the door opening could be heard. Turning around, Dean was about to give Jo, the most logical person who would follow him out, a piece of his mind. He was going to let her have it but turning around actually revealed Cas instead. The oncoming rant got stuck in his throat.

Cas was has put on his jacket and was wrapping a scarf around his neck. Noticing he was being watched, he looked up and gave Dean a small smile. “I was gonna walk home myself.” Dean nodded not really know what else to do. Eventually, Cas caught up to him and they started walking together. “So, what are you planning to do tomorrow?”

“Drink,” Dean mumbled.

“All day?”

“Maybe not all day, but at least until I pass out.”

“Dean, that’s not healthy.”

“Don’t really care what’s healthy or not right now.”

“How about you spend the day with me and my family then?”

Dean stopped which caused Cas to stop as well. “I’m not gonna do that, okay, man? You should spend it with your family.”

“I see my family all the time, and I want to invite you. No one should be alone on Christmas.”

Dean didn’t know what to say so he started walking again. He could hear Cas give a sigh and caught up with him again. They walked in silence for a few moments until Dean broke it.

“I knew that song you requested.”

“Really?” Cas smiled. “How do you know it?”

“My father,” he muttered.

“That’s great,” he beamed. “Must’ve brought up some good memories then.”

Dean just looked at him with a blank expression that actually spoke volumes. From the little that Cas knew of Dean’s parents, he knew more about his mother since Dean liked to talk about her, but what he did know was that John Winchester was not a pleasant man to live with. Even before the death of his wife, Mary, John was still a tough person to be around. The drinking and abandonment were the least of Dean and Sam’s upbringing. “I’m sorry,” Cas said remorsefully.

“You didn’t know.”

They continued in silence.

“Is that why you drank tonight?” Cas asked quietly stopping his pace.

Dean stumbled a bit. Thankfully, he could’ve blamed it on how much he drank if asked. But from how Cas didn’t react, there was nothing to worry about. He didn’t want to talk about it so he just kept walking.

“Damnit, Dean,” Cas sighed. “I like you too.”

That stopped Dean in his tracks. Slowly turning around, he looked at the other man.

“What?”

“I like you too, Dean. I have for a while.”

“Why do you think…”

“C’mon, I know you’re nice to only me. Or at least you aren’t as much of a dick to me as you are to everyone else. That has to count for something, right?” He then became self-conscious. “Or did I read this whole thing wrong?”

It was difficult for Dean to swallow the spit that had collected in his mouth. He did so anyway. Could he finally admit out loud something he’d been dying to say?

“You haven’t,” he answered. “But it’ll never work.”

“And why’s that?”

Dean licked his lips. “Because everything I like, or love,” he had to look away when he said that word, “has a habit of leaving.”

Cas sighed walking forward. “And what makes you think I’ll leave?”

“Because I like you a lot.”

A smile was on Cas’s face. “Well, that’s good to know. But I’m not leaving.”

“And how do you know that?”

They were face to face. Cas reached up, caressing Dean’s cheek. “I won’t,” he leaned in but Dean stepped back. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to kiss you while I’m drunk.”

The smile returned. “Then I’ll just have to wait.” He tapped Dean’s cheek twice and walked past him.

A smile came to Dean’s face. “Okay,” he said and started walking again. Cas nodded not needing to ask what Dean was agreeing to. He just knew.

“What’s your Christmas wish, Dean?” He asked to continue the conversation.

“What are you talking about?” He laughed.

“Your Christmas wish. The one thing you really want to come true.”

“You mean like getting to kiss you?”

“Well, you won’t be doing that until tomorrow,” Cas winked.

“Then I guess you’ll get your answer tomorrow,” Dean chuckled.

“Just answer the question, Dean.”

“Fine,” he sighed, “but you don’t get to laugh, okay?” Cas nodded. “To walk in the snow.” He took a breath in expecting Cas to say something, but when he didn’t Dean continued. “I love cold weather. It reminds me of my mom. Whenever it snowed, she would bundle Sammy and me in our warmest clothes and we’d play in the snow for hours. And when it got too cold, she’d take us back inside and make us all cocoa and we’d watch movies all night long bundled under this huge blanket she’d only pull out when it was just the three of us. Even when she got sick, she’d do that for us. The first snow after she died, I tried to keep the tradition alive for Sam. It was going great until it came to the cocoa part. I was 10 and I’d never used the stove before.” He laughed. “I got into so much trouble for that.” He remembered the yelling, the cussing, and eventually the slap across his face.

Dean shook his head when he felt something cold and wet fall on his nose. He wiped it off quickly and looked up. Snow flurries fell around them.

“It looks like you got your wish,” Cas said looking up.

“What about you, Cas?” They looked at each other. “What’s your Christmas wish?”

Cas smirked and grabbed Dean’s hand. “To walk home hand in hand with you.”

“It looks like we both got our wish.”

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little Christmas fluff on Christmas Eve. I originally was going to write this story with characters from a different fandom but I couldn't figure out a story for that so I changed them to Dean and Cas and came up with this. So hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. By the way, the song Cas has the band play is "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues for anyone interested.
> 
> Like always, if you want to get in contact with me, you can comment or check me out on Twitter (https://twitter.com/musiclove9151) and Tumblr (musiclove915)


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